title: “Caped Crusader” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-19” author: “Opal Maust”
For the last seven years, you heard of McFarlane only if you were an adolescent male somewhere between 13 and 30. Remember how teeny-boppers responded to ““Ladies and gentlemen . . . the Beatles!’’ That’s about the reaction at conventions McFarlane attends. But despite sales of 110 million comic books in 21 languages in 118 countries, along with 10 million toys, the Spawn niche is pretty much coextensive with acne. That’s about to change. HBO has just ordered up six more episodes of a very R-rated and successful ““Spawn’’ animated series. This week, the phenomenon goes mainstream, with a $45 million live-action movie opening nationwide. Starring Michael Jai White (from HBO’s ““Tyson’’) in the title role and John Leguizamo as Clown, the New Line production will try to turn Spawn into the same kind of mass-market icon as Batman, Superman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Who said America doesn’t have heroes anymore?
Spawn springs from the fantastic imagination of the Canadian-born McFarlane. At 23, he started working for Marvel Comics, the industry leader. McFarlane’s breakthrough was his makeover of the Amazing Spider-Man. Back then, Spider-Man looked like every other action hero, buffed out with washboard abs. McFarlane restored him to his old lithe self, able to move in impossibly agile insectoid positions. He even drew the webs better, transforming them from geeky string into oozy, dripping spaghetti. It was blasphemy to Marvel’s flagship character - and a hit. Sales quintupled to a million, making Spider-Man the No. 1 comics seller. When McFarlane and Marvel disagreed on promotion and other control issues, he left to form his own company, along with six other top artists. The first issue of Spawn, in May 1992, sold an astounding 1.7 million copies. For a fellow who likes to thumb his nose at corporate suits - there’s a reason he’s called the Madonna of comicdom - McFarlane had scored. Last year Forbes logged him in at $75 million - and that’s before the new grave-digging Spawn action figures hit the toy shelves.
The story of Spawn reflects the ageless battle of good vs. evil, but told in a darker, more violent way than most comics. Think Batman on crystal meth. Spawn has good reason to be pissed off: he once was Al Simmons, a covert assassin murdered by his own government who comes back to life to fight for justice and a little vengeance, too. The hitch: besides having a face only a plastic surgeon could love, he’s had to make a deal with the Devil - once time’s up, he’ll have to lead hell’s army in the ultimate battle against heaven. (Just imagine the cost overruns in that defense budget.) The cool part: he gets incredible powers, lots of chains and spikes that zip out from his body and a billowing cape that puts to shame all superhero vestments before him. If you’re 15, you love it when one victim gets his still-beating heart ripped out or when a villainous Good Humorman is impaled with a Popsicle stick. ““Todd himself is an adolescent,’’ says artist Frank Miller, who jump-started the Batman franchise 10 years ago. ““Kids want comic books to do two things - get their blood going and offend their parents. Comics are best when they’re at the extreme.’’ Memo to Macy’s: Invite Spawn to the parade. Thanksgiving will never be the same.
The movie is plenty extreme and has more fart jokes than a Steven Bochco storyboard. But some of its satanic references had to be toned down to get that all-important PG-13 rating. While those not already familiar with the comic may have trouble following the plot, ““Spawn’’ is the summer’s most spectacular concoction of visual effects and color. ““We tried to make the kind of movie you’ve never seen before,’’ says Mark Dippe, the 39-year-old first-time director. Viewed on that basis, ““Spawn’’ is a spirited comic-book joy ride. It helps, though, if you like homicidal Popsicles.
